66 replies to this topic

[matt]

The second pen from the left (already sold) in Richard Binder's Pen Tray for August is a silver pearl Parker/Diamond Medal. Is it Shadow Wave plastic or something else entirely? Would love to see a close up....

[Andy H]

This is a fascinating thread - I have a very specific memory of my grandfather having a green Diamond Medal in the "brickwork" pattern that looked exactly like the one that John posted. As I was quite young, I do not have a specific recollection of size, but I recall my grandfather, a thrifty New England Yankee, telling me that it was a Parker, and that "everyone" knew that certain products were made for Sears by the top makers, where they could be sold for half the price due to the guaranteed quantity and lack of marketing/advertising expense to the maker. This was in the early 1960s, and that particular pen was still writing and looking as new. I wish I had inherited it!

While I can't add much specific information as to Sears pen rebadging, I do have some additional background on Sears's general rebadging/branding policies, which were applied across the board to their product lines from the 1920s to the recent past. I know from personal experience that these policies were applied to virtually every Sears branded product line through at least the 1970s. Sears used the same in-house brand for specific product lines, whether or not they were sourced from the same original manufacturer. During college, I worked in a customer service branch of Sears, and had to contact different makers for service on different models carrying the same "Kenmore" or "Craftsman" brand simultaneously. In general, Sears selected top manufacturers for their top of the line brands, and lesser makers for their lower end products.

I also collect vintage cameras, and in connection with this can provide some analogies with S&R's "Tower" camera brand, which was attached to everything from basic box cameras to high quality professional grade equipment. In most cases the Sears brand featured a slightly lower level of finish or less desirable combination of features (e.g. seperate rangefinders as opposed to coupled) than the maker's regular line, at least on the higher end products. Thus, from the 1930s to 1950s you could buy Sears "Tower" cameras ranging from cheap Japanese box cameras to a rebadged Kodak Retina from Germany to a Nikkor lensed Leica copy made by Nicca, to a virtual clone of the very expensive and top of the line Busch "Pressman" camera like this one. I know that these principles were applied to many other product lines, so I pose the question: Is it possible that top-of-the-line "Diamond Medal" pens were made by different manufacturers over the decades? And is it possible that different makers produced low and high end pens at the same time for rebranding under the "Diamond Medal" label? Judging only from my personal experience in selling/maintaining Sears appliances and collecting vintage cameras, I would have to say yes.

[csikora]

This is true, and I completely forgot about some of the similar connections. I collect vintage cameras as well and. One of the Sears 'Tower' cameras was an exact duplicate (rebadge) of a Pentax Asahiflex. I vaguely remember something about the import restrictions on non-USA-made cameras during this time period. Perhaps this serves to demonstrate how big/important of a company Sears was?

I also collect vintage cameras, and in connection with this can provide some analogies with S&R's "Tower" camera brand, which was attached to everything from basic box cameras to high quality professional grade equipment. In most cases the Sears brand featured a slightly lower level of finish or less desirable combination of features (e.g. seperate rangefinders as opposed to coupled) than the maker's regular line, at least on the higher end products. Thus, from the 1930s to 1950s you could buy Sears "Tower" cameras ranging from cheap Japanese box cameras to a rebadged Kodak Retina from Germany to a Nikkor lensed Leica copy made by Nicca, to a virtual clone of the very expensive and top of the line Busch "Pressman" camera like this one. I know that these principles were applied to many other product lines, so I pose the question: Is it possible that top-of-the-line "Diamond Medal" pens were made by different manufacturers over the decades? And is it possible that different makers produced low and high end pens at the same time for rebranding under the "Diamond Medal" label? Judging only from my personal experience in selling/maintaining Sears appliances and collecting vintage cameras, I would have to say yes.

[J Appleseed]

David,

Well, you know how to entice me to join this little forum of yours. But really David - you revealed most of this in the FPN post, so the little teasing shots seem a bit redundant. We've seen it before and then some.

As for what is early or late for DM, it is all cataloged. If there is one thing we know about these Sears pens is that they were well cataloged, and the catalogs are not too hard to find (though I confess I have not had the library time that I wish I had).

Not to spoil the fun, but here are some of the catalog pages from Spring 1935, Fall 1935, and Spring 1936. I have some 37 or 38 cat. pages in my files at home, but don't have scans with me at the moment. I don't believe that the "web" or brick pattern appears in the 38 catalog, so that would give you an idea of "late".

Some additional observations on the various rebadged Parkers:

In addition to the date codes, which also appear on challanger-like mid-30s Webster and possible Good Service pens (have to check the latter), the Diamond Medal pens also advertised the 2-sided nature of their nibs.

Websters and DM pens generally maintain a 3-band style throughout the line.

The first year or so of DM pens saw "Sacless Vac-Fill" pens being sold alongside button-filled Diamond Medal "Non-transparent Sac-fil" pens with the same colors and trim, and only $1.00 less. So while the Parker brands kept the Vac-fil as a unique higher-tier pen and the button-filled Challengers as a tier below the Vac-fil pens, the DM pens mixed the two.

Sears higher-quality pen brands at this time period consisted of Diamond Medal, as a top-line, Webster, as middle-line, and Good Service, as a lower end, but still quality pen (mostly, though not always 14K nibs, and price-point around $1).

Sears also used the budget brands Truepoint and Tower-Truepoint, later just Tower (playing on the Sears Tower, which at one point was the tallest building in Illinois), as well as un-branded budget pens. Some of the allegedly unbranded pens had Ambassador levers. Some of the Truepoints are clearly in the same family as the other presumptive National Pen Products co. Pens, others are identical it Eagle pens of the time. I don't think any of the Truepoints were made by Parker (but if the Fifth Avenue pens, by the "Stafford Pen Co." were made by Parker, I suppose anything is possible).

Finally, on the Fifth Avenue Pens - these were in fact made by Parker for Woolworths (at least in the early-mid 1930s). Not only were they different than other Parker brands, they were made with reclaimed materials and scraps, and employees that made them were paid less than the mainline Parker employees. Austensibly the reason was just to try to provide some sort of jobs to people in the bottom of the Depression. It also seems to have been a starting position, and better performing employees could be moved to the main Parker products.

I think the story behind the Fifth Avenue Pens (which is based on a shop-floor employees recollections, so should not be assumed to represent Parker Management thinking) gives a clue as to why Parker was willing to sell rebadged Parkers through outlets like Sears and Woolworths. It was the depths of the depression and companies like Parker were desperate to get whatever market share they could. The Sears house-brands were probably a ripe prize, and at $4.95, they were not that much less than the Parker Juniors.


 Sears-DM-Spring1935.jpg   296.72KB   12 downloads
Spring 1935

The second pen from the left (already sold) in Richard Binder's Pen Tray for August is a silver pearl Parker/Diamond Medal. Is it Shadow Wave plastic or something else entirely? Would love to see a close up...

It is not a Shadow Wave plastic, but something else entirely. It is a striated grey, similar to the Sheaffer grey striated pattern, but more stripe-like - see the funny green striped Parker at the beggining of this thread for the green version. I think I have it in the 1938 catalog, but have to check when I get home. I have one of these in grey the slender size, incidentally, though I haven't had a chance to shoot a pic.


Also, here is a picture of the faceted button filler that appears in the Spring 1935 catalog page. I don't think Parker made anything comperable (fluted, but positioned as a top-line pen).

[david i]

The second pen from the left (already sold) in Richard Binder's Pen Tray for August is a silver pearl Parker/Diamond Medal. Is it Shadow Wave plastic or something else entirely? Would love to see a close up....

Hey Matt,

The second pen from left is wandering from Nashua to the NYC/Syracuse axis, even with the wrong nib in it

Figure for all the pens Richard has dragged from my case to his, it was about time I grabbed one from him.

The plastic is NOT Shadow Wave. Indeed, it appears to be the a gray version in DIamond Medal trim of the green striped "Parker" pen that was posted initially by Chris "csikora", that anomalous "Parker Vacumatic" with Parker clip, junior-pattern double band, Challenger-like clip, Challenger/Deluxe challenger blind cap, and lack of barrel imprint of any sort.

This discussion evolves naturally, I'm trying to guide it with at best light touch- though i gain ideas post to post for organizing this mess into the eventual written article series.

But, the trigger for this thread was Chris's pen. And while there are many points yet to raise, touching back on that original pen, starting to bring closure on it, has some merit.

Chris's "Parker"

Again, a bunch of Parkers, proper, catalogue correct.

High Line First Generation Vacumatic Standard

Junior line Vacumatics are well known in plastics such as mottled and "Golden Web"

Parker also made quality second-tier pens during this era, the Challenger family: Challenger, Deluxe Challenger, Royal Challenger.

Early Deluxe Challenger

Late Deluxe Challenger

Late plain Challenger

Chris's pen again:

The pen of the sort on its way from Nashua to the Isaacson pen tray (Must be having a week moment, that Binder is soooooo expensive LOL )

Note that it is entirely possible the pen photo'd actually is Richard's. I have shot some of his before, as he has shot some of mine. He grades conservatively, so I'll be more than happy if the "slight weakening of imprint" turns out to be as minimal as is shown by the nice imprint on this one. Now... think about how the pen resembles Chris's pen above. This one is a Diamond Medal, not a "Parker" like Chris's. Look at the differences. Look at both and compare to the catalogued Parker models above. Think...

You might or might not see how the Gray Diamond Medal and Green "Parker" resemble/differ. The green pen shot (quite nicely done by Chris) is limited only in that the top endpiece is hidden by camera angle. It is a bit more Challenger-like than the end-piece on the DM.

Anyone want to compare the gray to the green or compare both to the Parker pens, proper, above them, shown in catalogue format?

Oh yeah, just for giggles. A few years back when pen friend Rem Roberti was more active in the hobby, I shot his slender GREEN striped Diamond Medal Vac-Fl.

Cue the foreboding music... "Dah DAH DummmMMMMMmmmmmm"

regards

david

[djohannsen]

Let me apologize for asking a dumb question... Were Diamond Medal available only through Sears, or where they an independent company that was sold primarily through Sears? I ask, after seeing the Websters and Good Service pens featured in the catalogue ads (these brands I know were independent companies). Again, sorry for the stupid question, but this era is a decade or two or three later than I know much about.


Dave

[david i]

This is a fascinating thread - I have a very specific memory of my grandfather having a green Diamond Medal in the "brickwork" pattern that looked exactly like the one that John posted. SNIP

While I can't add much specific information as to Sears pen rebadging, I do have some additional background on Sears's general rebadging/branding policies, which were applied across the board to their product lines from the 1920s to the recent past. SNIP


Is it possible that top-of-the-line "Diamond Medal" pens were made by different manufacturers over the decades? And is it possible that different makers produced low and high end pens at the same time for rebranding under the "Diamond Medal" label? Judging only from my personal experience in selling/maintaining Sears appliances and collecting vintage cameras, I would have to say yes.

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the thoughtful input. Yes, Diamond Medal, while believed to be a Sears house brand, also apparently had pens made at different times (at same time?) by different manufacturers. At the very least, some earlier style "Flat Top" pens with the Diamond Medal label, appear to have been made by the Chicago based National Pen Company. I claim no expertise in that arena, but that is my recollection of hearsay. Here is a DM done in the "National" style

This next one of that ilk is a Webster (hmmmm... Webster, also a label sold by Sears, as per the Appleseed's post above, amongst others) that likely is National Pen Company product

It seems that the 1935-1938 run for Sears's Diamond Medal line represented Parker work. At least some earlier pens apparently by National Pen Company.

Webster pens-- at least some-- from 1935-8 also are Parker. More confusion to me is that Good Service pens sold by Sears during the involved period appear at least in some cases to be Parker made. Yet, as was mentioned in another post, some believe that Good Service did at least some of its own manufacturing and perhaps sold beyond the Sears network. Food for thought. I don't have perfect answers there.

regards

David

[david i]

David,

Well, you know how to entice me to join this little forum of yours. But really David - you revealed most of this in the FPN post, so the little teasing shots seem a bit redundant. We've seen it before and then some.

Remember, every grand oak tree started out as a little acorn. Of course, so too does most squirrel food

Time will tell...

But, for some reason, the FPN thread is hard to follow absent most of its pen images

So, I figured it was time to address again this heady topic. Too, I have images of more pens now than I did then.

And, not everyone read that original thread.

Besides, you know I posted this topic just to lure you here, right?

As for what is early or late for DM, it is all cataloged. If there is one thing we know about these Sears pens is that they were well cataloged, and the catalogs are not too hard to find (though I confess I have not had the library time that I wish I had).

Yes, some of us (perhaps a subset of "we") know that DM's rebadged Parkers are found in Sears catalogues. A smaller still subset of "we" has access to those images. That's why you and I serve the community bringing them out. I have probably four good catalogues with images. You have copies of some of these ads, obviously. I plan subsequently to post higher-res images of some of these, from my own pile.

Not to spoil the fun, but here are some of the catalog pages from Spring 1935, Fall 1935, and Spring 1936. I have some 37 or 38 cat. pages in my files at home, but don't have scans with me at the moment. I don't believe that the "web" or brick pattern appears in the 38 catalog, so that would give you an idea of "late".

37 to 38 pages of catalogue material or catalogued material from '37-8? I have some of the latter, but concede I do not have the former

SNIP

Appreciate all the images. No doubt a taste of pens to follow

We will address the Webster "Televisor", some Parkette derived Good Service pens, a quote regarding the Safford (as in George S. Parker) Fifth Ave pen and indeed your fluted Diamond Medal button filler, clearly derived from two well known Parkers.

Thanks for dropping in. More info always is appreciated

[david i]

Let me apologize for asking a dumb question... Were Diamond Medal available only through Sears, or where they an independent company that was sold primarily through Sears? I ask, after seeing the Websters and Good Service pens featured in the catalogue ads (these brands I know were independent companies). Again, sorry for the stupid question, but this era is a decade or two or three later than I know much about.


Dave

You are apologizing for asking a question???

I like questions. They make me think. Usually, I lack good answers though

Lacking contrary evidence, it is my tentative belief that DM was only a Sears pen. Did it appear in other catlaogues? Hmmm. now i have vague recollection maybe of seeing something elsewhere. I will have to look before taking strong stand.

Dunno on the others, really. A Boston pen collector reportedly bought (or was in the family of, or something regarding) Good Service and had lots of parts. Did Good Service make its own parts or serve as an assembler? Were they found beyond Sears? One might think I should know, as that name is well recognized, but I'm just not sure. Same for Webster. Lots of ads in Sears for Webster, but did they appear elsewhere?

Hmmm. largely I merely have echoed- not answered- your question. Sigh.

But, DM at least seems tightly bound to Sears (save for my one worry now about an ad elsewhere).

-david

[djohannsen]

Lacking contrary evidence, it is my tentative belief that DM was only a Sears pen. Did it appear in other catlaogues? Hmmm. now i have vague recollection maybe of seeing something elsewhere. I will have to look before taking strong stand.

I think the answer to this question is important. If Diamond Medal is availible only through Sears, it makes it more likely (though of course does NOT extablish it as fact) that Sears held the Trademark for the Diamond Medal name. Another relevant question is whether pens other than those made by Parker appear with Diamond Medal imprints. If this is the case, then we can rule out Parker holding the Trademark (and we can surmise that it was either an independent company or that Sears held the name and had other makers imprint the pens when the contracted for them). If only Parker pens appear bearing the Diamond Medal imprint (and especially if in retail outlets besides Sears), it seems a distinct possiblity that it was a sub-brand of Parker that they used to sell low cost pens during the depression (and without devaluing or diluting their brand and it's high reputation).

Did Good Service make its own parts or serve as an assembler? Were they found beyond Sears? One might think I should know, as that name is well recognized, but I'm just not sure. Same for Webster. Lots of ads in Sears for Webster, but did they appear elsewhere?

Interesting... I had always associated Good Service with Barrett and National (i.e., a jobber that assembled parts from these companies, though whether National was procuring parts from Barrett is a can of worms for another day) and had thought them an independent company. I think that it unlikely that Sears owned all the names Diamond Medal, Good Service, and Websters; I can certainly see having a single "house brand" (like Kenmore dishwashers and washing machines), but three seems (to me, at least) improbable (though just because my little brain can't imagine something doesn't make it impossible).


Dave

[david i]

SNIP Another relevant question is whether pens other than thosemade by Parker appear with Diamond Medal imprints. If this is thecase, then we can rule out Parker holding the Trademark (and we cansurmise that it was either an independent company or that Sears heldthe name and had other makers imprint the pens when the contracted forthem). If only Parker pens appear bearing the Diamond Medal imprint(and especially if in retail outlets besides Sears), it seems adistinct possiblity that it was a sub-brand of Parker that they used tosell low cost pens during the depression (and without devaluing ordiluting their brand and it's high reputation).SNIP

Dave

Hi Dave,

A post or three above shows Diamond Medal 'Flat Top" believed made by National Pen Company. Parker seems not to hold the reins on the name. Again, I agree with the emphasis of your questions, but while I have suspicion DM is Sears, I do have vague recollection of a 1930'ish DMof the sort in this perpetual ebay offer (think it has been up for years):

http://cgi.ebay.com/...s-/350281556115

or one with a long clip that to me evokes Rider... that I might have seen in non-Sears (unless was just an earlier Sears catalogue, and I've just forgotten) setting.

No joke, work is out of control. With illness in the group it seemsfrom July 8 to Aug 22 I will work about 38 night shifts instead of 19. When have free couple days, might be end of that... maybe a day respite next week, will try to hunt that Diamond Medal ad.

regards

David

[J Appleseed]

Let me apologize for asking a dumb question... Were Diamond Medal available only through Sears, or where they an independent company that was sold primarily through Sears? I ask, after seeing the Websters and Good Service pens featured in the catalogue ads (these brands I know were independent companies). Again, sorry for the stupid question, but this era is a decade or two or three later than I know much about.


Dave

I think the answer to this question is important. If Diamond Medal is availible only through Sears, it makes it more likely (though of course does NOT extablish it as fact) that Sears held the Trademark for the Diamond Medal name. Another relevant question is whether pens other than those made by Parker appear with Diamond Medal imprints. If this is the case, then we can rule out Parker holding the Trademark (and we can surmise that it was either an independent company or that Sears held the name and had other makers imprint the pens when the contracted for them). If only Parker pens appear bearing the Diamond Medal imprint (and especially if in retail outlets besides Sears), it seems a distinct possiblity that it was a sub-brand of Parker that they used to sell low cost pens during the depression (and without devaluing or diluting their brand and it's high reputation).

Interesting... I had always associated Good Service with Barrett and National (i.e., a jobber that assembled parts from these companies, though whether National was procuring parts from Barrett is a can of worms for another day) and had thought them an independent company. I think that it unlikely that Sears owned all the names Diamond Medal, Good Service, and Websters; I can certainly see having a single "house brand" (like Kenmore dishwashers and washing machines), but three seems (to me, at least) improbable (though just because my little brain can't imagine something doesn't make it impossible).


Dave

Dave,

I believe that Diamond Medal, Webster, Good Service, Tower, Truepoint, and Tower-Truepoint were all Sears house brands, and yes, Sears did run several brands at once, to denote different lines. I think it was only later that they focussed on having a master brand names like "Kenmore", or in the office supply arena "Tower". In fact, I think there was a general evolution of naming convention, at least for Sears pens. In the 19-teens, you get a host of names for pen models - "The Peackock", "The Congress", "The Professional", which then was reduced to 3-4 brand names for the different lines, and then later to a single brand at a time.

These brands were presumably owned by Sears, as the manufacturers changed over time. The lever-filling DM, Webster, Good Service, Big Ben and Truepoint pens from about 1927 - 1932/33 (there is a gap in my collection of catalog pages between 1932 and 1935) all bear distinctive features associated with presumptive National/C.E. Barrett produced pens. From 1935 (possibly 1934) to the late 30s, DM, Webster "Chicago" and Good Service pens all look very Parker, with the exception of the anomalous 1937 Good Service bulb fillers. Sears dropped Diamond Medal and Good Service around 1940, keeping the Webster brand through at least the 50s - some 1940s-50s Websters are nearly identical to Gold Medal pens, which I believe at the time was a Barrett brand (I am pretty sure I have seen them so imprinted).

And just to make it even more interesting, the first Websters in the mid 1920s catalogs look an awful lot like Wirt-made pens (and Sears did source a lot of pens from Wirt in the 19teens and 20s).

That is not to say that they were the exclusive owners of these brands - there was at least two Webster pen brands out there - the other one, with a distinctive logo that looks like a V over a W, making an X where the two letters meet, was used by the Rex Manufacturing Company of Providence, Rhode Island (which I only know from a very lucky ebay find, with box and papers!).

I have seen no evidence of Good Service sold anywhere but Sears. There was a Good Service pen store, which I believe was the source of Pier Gustaferson's (SP?) Good Service connection, but I believe they are different from the Sears brand. I have a couple of dozen Good Service pens, and they are all pretty much cataloged in the Sears catalog. I don't think it was an independant brand of National, and the fact that some were made by Parker and possibly another company is strong evidence for that assertion.

So far I have found no evidence that Sears registered their trademarks on these pens. Of course, trademark protection exists whether you register the trademark or not, and I believe they simply did not bother to register.

I wish I had my complete collection of Sears catalogs scanned and on a flashdrive to upload it all, but alas they are scattered in a few formats. I also wish I had more time to work on this, as the Seattle Public Library (and I am sure many other public libraries - hint hint) has the entire Sears catalog on Microfilm from the 1800s to the 1970s or so. For a while I was getting downtown regularly and was slowly scanning all the pen pages, but microfilm is slow to work with, and I don't get much time to work on it. However, I do have a few scans handy on my Photobucket account, so here are a few more representative pages:

Spring 1913 - multiple names for pens by ALCO, Wirt, Eagle, and others



Spring 1924 - the first Webster pens - look at that big one at the bottom - Wirt anyone?



Good Service pens, Fall/Winter 1927-28 catalog.


Diamond Medal, Spring 1927


Diamond Medal, Fall/Winter 1927-8 catalog


Webster, Spring 1927 catalog




Good Service, Spring 1932 - ever see those little triangle nibs, or floral clips before? I actually have an empty bottle of the Diamond Medel ink.



And the Diamond Medal Comrade, Spring 1932:


The aforementioned Good Service bulb-fillers from the Fall-Winter 1936-37 - not sure who made these, but the Websters are unmistakably "rebadged" Parker Challanger's.

[J Appleseed]

37 to 38 pages of catalogue material or catalogued material from '37-8? I have some of the latter, but concede I do not have the former

Both - I meant the '37 and '38 catalogs, but I have at least 38-40 pages of catalogs, probably much more. It's a pretty thick file at this point. As mentioned, the entire run of the Sears catalog is sitting down at the Seattle Public Library, main branch (6th floor) but I have not had the time to scan it all. I have scanned the relevant pages from the hardbound versions that they have (which are less complete, though much better quality images). Interestingly, the Microfilm is the Chicago catalog, while the hardcopy catalogs are the Seattle Version - they had different catalogs for items shipping from their 4 different local distribution warehouses, and the catalogs are different during some years. Even the pens in the Seattle Catalog are different from those in Chicago Catalog, during some years (not the 30s, however).

(I assume you have gotten ahold of the few copies at the Onadago Public Library? They have a few catalogs in the catalog).

John

[djohannsen]

Dave,

I believe that Diamond Medal, Webster, Good Service, Tower, Truepoint, and Tower-Truepoint were all Sears house brands, and yes, Sears did run several brands at once, to denote different lines.

A geat post - you make a very strong case! Thank you for setting me straight on this.


Dave

[david i]

Dave,

SNIPPPPPPP.....

The aforementioned Good Service bulb-fillers from the Fall-Winter 1936-37 - not sure who made these, but the Websters are unmistakably "rebadged" Parker Challanger's.

Great data

Certainly argues my vaguely recalled DM ad showing the long clip also was from a Sears catalogue.

Regarding your presentation, I have only one caveat: the Webster in the image above is not, per se, a rebadged Challenger.

The Good Service shown appears to be a rebadged Parker Parkette Deluxe, but the Webster (assuming button filler; i have the same ad will post in larger form if have quiet minute) shows a side clip (presumably tabs, maybe a "Z") not the washer clip of the a Challenger. The top of the cap in the image above looks to be a fused black end not a threaded removable part. Basically, the cap looks to be Parkette (non Deluxe, 1935-6-ish) derived. Here is a Parker Parkette superimposed on your ad

That said, some of the earlier Diamond Medal pens show clear derivation from Challenger family, albeit with some tweaks on plastic used. If this one has button filler (again, ad too small, though I have my larger copy to post later), then it is a style mix-- as the Parkette shown, though it resembles the Webster, is lever filler-- a theme that will be driven home solidly regarding your fluted pen shown earlier.

And, there are Websters derived from Challenger-like pens of course, though they perhaps can be more specifically attributed to derivation from... Parker Televisor ( a quite Challenger-like pen itself) rather than from Challenger, proper. More on that a bit later too.


regards

David

[david i]

Solving (or at least proposing model for) csikora's Parker pen.

I wish to redirect a bit. This thread branches into some solid terrain (and I hope to come back shortly to the Good Service and Websters, not to mention some non Vac-Fil DM's made by Parker), but I don't wish to lose track of csikora's Parker. We've seen his Parker "Vacumatic" with some odd features. We've seen discussion of the DIamond Medal (Sears) - Parker link. Let's tie things together regarding his pen.


Chris's pen:

• Vacumatic filler
• Parker clip and nib
• NO barrel imprint (unlike all other 1930's celluloid Parkers
• Clip like lower line Parker Challenger (2nd style late 1937+)
• Top endpiece like Challenger
• Blind cap like Parker Deluxe Challenger

A real... mix

We've seen Diamond Medal pens, made by Parker for Sears that derive from the Parker Vacumatic and have model name Vac-Fil.


Let's compare the DM to the Parker green striped pen above, by feature:


Chris's green striped Parker pen:

• Vacumatic filler
• Vacumatic nib
• NO barrel imprint (unlike all other 1930's celluloid Parkers
• Clip like lower line Parker Challenger (2nd style 1937+)
• Top endpiece like Challenger (not Vacumatic)
• Blind cap like Parker Deluxe Challenger
• Double cap-band like junior line Vacumatic

Diamond Medal Vac-Fil

• Vacumatic filler
• DM marked nib but with Parker-like date code
• Barrel imprinted "Diamond Medal Vac Fil"
• Clip like lower line Parker Challenger (1st style Challenger clip) of course marked as Diamond Medal
• Top endpiece like Challenger (not Vacumatic) albeit with slight contour difference
• Blind cap like Parker Deluxe Challenger (again slight contour difference)
• Triple cap-band like high-line Parker Vacumatic

So, Chris's pen in many ways-- despite it's Parker markings and Parker Vacumatic filler-- has more in common with the Parker-made (rebadged) Diamond Medal Vac-Fil, not that this seems a surprise by now, after reading all these posts.

Let's show a few more images that perhaps tie things together in images.

I had shown Diamond Medal Vac-FIl pens done in three colors in mosaic pattern, unlike the single color "Golden Web" mosaic used for ParkerVacumatic, proper.

Here is a peek at Diamond Medal Emerald mosaic (web) Vac-Fil. Accidently skipped this image in earlier pics, when I meant to transition from Silver Pearl to Emerald Pearl

Here is the Emerald pen again:

But, what... i say WHAT... is this?

An Emerald mosaic Parker Vacumatic, or Diamond Medal Vac-Fil or... something superimposed on the typical (ahhh, two pages ago it was an anomaly, now it is typical) Diamond Medal Emerald Mosaic. See again the list of features for Chris's green striped pen and for the Diamond Medal.

This one has the double cap-bands of a Parker Vacumatic and the blade (later style) "Parker Challenger" clip. What appearance has the rest of the pen?

Hmmm... DM-like top piece and blind cap. Parker nib and clip. No barrel imprint. Double cap-band of Parker not DM pen. Scary.

Chris's pen again.

My hypothesis for pens of this sort are that they represent rerebadged, re-rebadged, derebadged, de-re-badged, etc ad nauseum, Parker pens, pens meant to be released as Diamond Medals, but ultimately presented as true Parkers.

I don't have all the ads in front of me, but Diamond Medal pens by Parker appear around 1935-1938 in Sears catalogues.

The blade style clip shown on Chris pen and on the Emerald Mosaic Parker just above appeared on Challenger perhaps late 1937, first shown in Parker catalogues 1938... just about the time the Diamond Medal connection at Sears wound down.

Of course, now these observations give way to speculation, to hypothesis, and tie back to comments made on the origina thread that saw Chris's pen.

These Parkers that look more like Parker pens rebadged as DM's than they do catalogued Parker pens, proper, perhaps represent left over rodstock that Parker released with Parker trim. Never having been stamped "DM", Parker trim was applied: the double cap-band of non high-line Vacumatic, the current (late 1937+) blade clip, and Parker nib.

Were these done as isolated in-house projects... lunchtime specials? Were they made with company sanction for that mythic "niche market", some store that bought a quantity of items and with wish for something different (a small scale version of the actual Parker-Sears interaction)?

Were they "prototypes" in the strict sense of word; "prototype" of course an oft-abused and arguably ill-defined term?

Andy Lambrou's FPOTW, iirc has a row of pens of this sort labelled "prototype". 15 years ago, that was a fair guess, and indeed might be true, but I'm not sold on the term, given these pens have a great deal in common with Parker's released as Diamond Medal, and appear to have trim indicating later production than the actual DM pens.

I'll toss up a pen from my personal collection, found- amazingly- on ebay for trivial cost- shown with bad image and described as "parker green pen". This one has much in common with Chris's pen and with the Emerald Mosaic non-DM Parker just shown.

Adding complication is that this has the triple bands of the Diamond Medal rather than the double band of a junior line Parker Vacumatic. Again, this pen has no barrel imprint. I have NOT yet owned a DM pen with this plastic, but... one of the ads in the Sears catalogues, despite limited resolution, is suggestive of the same plastic.

I hope to show couple more examples of this sort, a Parker De-Re-Badged pen, rodstock meant for the DIamond Medal Sears pens, but released ultimately in Parker trim.

And, we still have to explore more the Webster, Good Service, and non Vac-Fil Diamond Medal Sears pens.

regards

David

[david i]

Well, last night during a lull, i found the photo of the Sears catalogue page that shows a Diamond Medal Vac-FIl in pattern quite suggestive of the de-re-badged green-with-brown-pinstripes shown in my last post.

Again, unlike the green striped pen shown by Chris and unlike the Emerald (web) Mosaic done in this fashion, both of which have double cap-band marking them as different from the simply re-badged Diamond Medals save for (readily replaceable) clip and nib, this pen has triple cap-band identical to the Diamond Medal variant. Thus, one cannot absolutely rule out simple nib and clip swap, though the lack of barrel imprint (as with all the other de-re-badged pens) is telling. That the pen was found very much from a wild source (albeit via ebay- it was the only pen amongst all sorts of detritus), and has proportionate wear to clip and bands (a soft point) argues to some degree that this is how it was put together.

Here is part of the pen- a de-re-badged Parker "meant to be DM, issued as Parker"- enough to show the plastic, superimposed on a Sears DM Ad.

regards

David

[david i]

Both - I meant the '37 and '38 catalogs, but I have at least 38-40 pages of catalogs, probably much more. It's a pretty thick file at this point. As mentioned, the entire run of the Sears catalog is sitting down at the Seattle Public Library, main branch (6th floor) but I have not had the time to scan it all. I have scanned the relevant pages from the hardbound versions that they have (which are less complete, though much better quality images). Interestingly, the Microfilm is the Chicago catalog, while the hardcopy catalogs are the Seattle Version - they had different catalogs for items shipping from their 4 different local distribution warehouses, and the catalogs are different during some years. Even the pens in the Seattle Catalog are different from those in Chicago Catalog, during some years (not the 30s, however).

(I assume you have gotten ahold of the few copies at the Onadago Public Library? They have a few catalogs in the catalog).

John

John, what can I say... that's a most impressive pile o' paper

No, I've done no library hunting. Basically, I targeted the key era and did it the hard way (or is it the easy way); i bought some catalogues on ebay. Your image of the DM's with top clip insertion (which to me vaguely evoked Rider, but now I'm not so sure), in Sears catalogues at least puts to rest my concern I'd seen that ad elsewhere (I suppose I still might have...).

Impressive, though perhaps not surprising, that Sears made catalogue variants for what they perceived to be different markets.

I do have couple more pens - though maybe no time to shoot them this round- of the sort that Chris posted- the Parker pens that probably "should have" been released as DM. But, we both have images from Sears that show some non Vac-Fil pens, DM's, Websters, and Good Service. I've some nice examples of the pens and of Parker pens from which they perhaps derive. With luck will be able to get those up during the next few days.

regards

David

[djohannsen]

r Deluxe Challenger
My hypothesis for pens of this sort are that they represent rerebadged, re-rebadged, derebadged, de-re-badged, etc ad nauseum, Parker pens, pens meant to be released as Diamond Medals, but ultimately presented as true Parkers.

Seeing the evidence presented, I think that your hypothesis is (by far) the most likely explanation. There is always some "slop" in manufacturing (ran a few too many off the production line that were never delivered). Also, I've been around long enough to reach the conclusion that we are much more concerned with "catalogue correct" than the producers ever were. It seems very likely that Parker imprinted (which we know was done at the time the pens were assembled, given the appearance of anomolous late date codes) extra stock and sold them. I wonder what the avenue of sales was? Through established dealers as part of the regular line or somehow discounted? Barring the appearance of internal Parker documents or bills of sale, we'll probably never know. Again, thank you for some interesting posts (though I don't collect pens from this era, I am always interested in learning more about the industry).


Dave

[J Appleseed]

I would actually not discount the notion that some of these odd Parkers were meant to be prototypes. Tony Fisher's site has some pictures of Silver and Green Web vacumatics, that have styling more like the Golden Web vacs (two band, etc.). Since Parker did produce the Golden Web as a Parker, it is not too hard to conceive that they would have made prototypes in all three colors, but decided to go the more conservative route and only produce one color, leaving the others as patterns for their rebadged pens.

While lunchtime projects and using old stock are certainly possibilities, I think it just as likely that Parker did up some prototypes of new rod-stock before they decided which patterns to use for Parker, and which to offer to Sears or other companies.

I do note that there are no Diamond Medals in standard Parker top-line colors. There are colors unique to the DM line, and some overlap with the Jr. and Challanger/Televisor/Moderne patterns. Parker clearly did not want to devalue the uniquness of the top-line patterns, but seems to have been willing to have some overlap with the lower line.

Also, I would be really interested in comparing that odd striped vac to some Truepoint and Eagle stock I have seen.

John